Taking Mobile Seriously
While Nintendo has had apps on mobile prior to 2016, they were very simple and didn’t utilize the company’s larger properties. It’s understandable that the gaming giant would hold its bigger IP close to its chest, as those are the breadwinners, but expanding their availability is one way to generate revenue while also building a greater awareness.
Of course, porting their games over to other consoles isn’t the right move. The one major advantage that Nintendo has over Sony and Microsoft is the celebrated exclusive library that includes the likes of Mario, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda. Mobile, however, provides a way to create new experiences on a platform that hundreds of millions have access to, without worrying about giving up everything. Pokemon GO showed that they can make something unique yet still bank on the name, generating tons of money and creating new fans. Their upcoming release, Super Mario Run, will only further push the company in front of the masses.
It’s great to see the current underdog of the “Big Three” start to make these moves. At one point Nintendo was playing catch up in the mobile space, but it quickly became clear that they had the star power in their IP that would allow them to dominate mobile devices.
